Training without Hearing Protection

[JPG19]

I recently purchased my first AR-15 and have taken it out to the range several times so far, getting the irons zeroed-in, becoming more familiar with the weapon, and having an all-around BLAST!!!
While out shooting with a friend on his private property the other day I fired off a round without an earplug in my left ear and was quite surprised at just how loud the AR was. This got me thinking; if I ever needed to use this rifle for self defense, I feel I can safely assume that I won't have hearing protection on. Therefore, in an effort to minimize the shock of the noise and become as comfortable as possible with the rifle, do you guys think it would be prudent to train (outdoors) without hearing protection on every once in awhile? Of course, such training would have to be weighed against the threat of hearing loss. So, what are your thoughts High Roaders?

-James

 

[Fred Fuller]

Well, if you make yourself deaf in the upper ranges ahead of time, you won't have to worry about losing that part of your hearing in the event of a home invasion. But the constant ringing in your ears might give a stealthy bad guy in your house a real advantage.

Seriously, if you're going to use a long gun for HD anyway, it's easy enough to slip on a set of electronic muffs when you reach for the gun. If you have time to get to the gun, you'll probably have time for the muffs. If not, then the hearing loss will be the least of your worries (and if you think an AR is loud outdoors, just think about it inside a relatively small room).

But practicing with ANY live ammo without appropriate ear and eye protection ANYTIME is a Bad Idea...

fwiw,

lpl

 

[JoeSlomo]

....do you guys think it would be prudent to train (outdoors) without hearing protection on every once in awhile?

No.

Absolutely not.

My performance during two-way live fires was NEVER effected due to the fact that I didn't have plugs.

Protect your hearing.

 

[JPG19]

Thanks for the responses so far guys. Just to clarify, my primary HD weapon is a 12ga pump followed by a Glock 19.

 

[towboat_er]

Use protection

 

[41]

I've never used a gun in a defensive manner, but my hunting experience tells me that you would hardly notice the sound of the gun at all. You will probably hear the report, but it will sound muffled under stress.

 

[Telekinesis]

The 12ga and the Glock are still going to be very loud indoors, just not quite as much as a full rifle. I still think its a good idea to keep some ear protection (even if not electronic ear muffs) near the guns you have set up for HD. You may not always have time to put them on (like if you're drawing your CCW) but given the option, I would definitely wear them.

I have actually noticed in the past few years that I'm slowly loosing a bit of hearing through being around competitive shooting (don't always wear ear pro in he parking lot) and mixing for and playing in bands. And that's all low level kind of stuff, nowhere near in the range of a gun shot 2' in front of your face, let alone a full day of practice.

 

[Rexster]

Having managed to knock my headset askew a few times during training, I would say a 18" 12 gauge with buck hurts the ears much more than a 16" AR15. Having fired a Federal 125-grain .357 Mag from a 4" GP100 on the street, during a "social occasion" back in 1993, even that famously loud-with-shock-wave round sounded like a mere cap gun. So, no, there is no need to train with unprotected ears, because the body will suppress the sound of one's own gunfire during body alarm reaction. (I am not saying that no long -term hearing damage occurs with gunfire during body alarm reaction, just that the body suppresses hearing, so one's gunfire sound and shock waves are suppressed from one's perception, and no acute painful ringing of the ears occurs. I will leave the subject of long-term hearing damage during body alarm reaction to the scientists, and just say that being alive comes first.)

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I think it is a very bad idea to train without hearing protection. You could keep a pair of electronic ear muffs near your firearm. These are great and I wear them hunting. You can hear normal or even amplify sound (to about 80 or 05 dB) but when loud noises happen, they automatically shut off the hearing part and act like normal hearing muffs. It's the best way to go IMO.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I've never used a gun in a defensive manner, but my hunting experience tells me that you would hardly notice the sound of the gun at all. You will probably hear the report, but it will sound muffled under stress.

Correct regarding auidtory exclusion. However the damage is still done to the ears.

 

[HDCamel]

Get a suppressor if your state allows it and you're willing to drop the cash. It's still loud as hell, but not "permanent damage to your ears after one use" loud as hell.

 

[41]

Correct regarding auidtory exclusion. However the damage is still done to the ears.

Yes, but I doubt that what you would hear would be loud enough to shock you in a defensive situation, which is what the OP is talking about. You should wear ear protection any time possible while shooting to avoid ear damage.

 

[crazysccrmd]

We get hearing tests immediately prior and immediately following deployments - I can tell you that the gunfire, explosions and just overall loud Army noises which you don't notice at all really do have a permanent affect on your hearing. Looking back on a test from 2005 to the one I just got is kinda shocking, makes me wonder how much it's going to suck when I get older.

 

[Owen Sparks]

My Dad went through basic training before the military started using hearing protection and really paid for it in his old age. Protect your hearing! I keep a pair of muffs with my HD shotgun.

 

[hso]

do you guys think it would be prudent to train (outdoors) without hearing protection on every once in awhile?

No, never. You will probably never fire your weapon in fear/anger, but you will wreck your hearing practicing without hearing protection.

 

[AKElroy]

In the interest of "realistic" training, many advanced classes assume a strong side injury forcing use of the week hand, single hand slide racks, etc...

Your question is a bit like wondering if an ACTUAL shooting of the strong side would add to the realism of the training. Probably, but I'm not going to do it. Wear hearing & eye protection.

 

[Bubba613]

So, what are your thoughts High Roaders?

WHAT?

 

[Al Thompson]

LOL at Bubba.

James, if you are unfortunate enough to find your self in an involuntary adrenalin filled situation, the noise will not be an issue. At least in my experience.